First Lady Encourages U.S. Team Members to 'Try to Have Some Fun'

By MARY PILON

Published: July 28, 2012

LONDON -- Michelle Obama, visiting the Olympics as part of her campaign against childhood obesity, met with members of the United States Olympic team Friday morning, telling them that she remembered watching the Games on television with her family growing up in Chicago and ''cheering at the top of our lungs.''

As part of a tour that includes meetings with dignitaries and appearances at Olympic events, the first lady was at the U.S.O.C.'s training center based at the University of East London's Docklands campus. Basketball, fencing, taekwondo, badminton, wrestling and weigh lifting athletes are training there and made up most of the crowd at the breakfast.

Among those in attendance were several women's basketball players, including Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles and Sue Bird, as well as the two-time gold medalist fencer Mariel Zagunis, who served as the flag bearer for the United States team at Friday's opening ceremony.

''I'm still so inspired by you all,'' Obama said.

She was introduced by the former Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes, who joked about jumping rope with the Obamas and how the first lady could hold her own when it came to fitness.

''Don't be fooled by her heels,'' Dawes said.

Obama spoke about watching the Games with her father, who boxed and swam in his youth, but was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

''He wasn't able to walk without the assistance of crutches,'' she said, ''but he retained his love of sports.''

She said this was the first Olympics she had attended and described the experience as ''otherworldly.''

After her brief remarks, Obama exchanged handshakes and hugs with the athletes and their coaches and posed for photos before making her way to another event in London tied to her ''Let's Move!'' campaign to combat childhood obesity.

The Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, are also in London for the Olympic Games. A horse co-owned by Ann Romney will compete for the American team in dressage events that begin Aug. 2.

Obama was among those at a reception held by Queen Elizabeth II on Friday evening at Buckingham Palace and then attend the opening ceremony.

''We are all proud of you,'' she told the American athletes. ''And try to have some fun.''

ARCHERS BREAKS HIS MARK The archer Im Dong-hyun of South Korea, who is legally blind, set the first world record of the London Olympics, breaking his own mark in the 72-arrow event and helping South Korea set a team record in the opening round. He broke the record he set in Turkey in May by 3 points with a score of 699, hours before the opening ceremony.

''This is just the first round, so I will not get too excited by it,'' said Im, who has 10 percent vision in his left eye and 20 percent in his right.

He combined with Kim Bub-min and Oh Jin-hyek to break the record for 216 arrows with a score of 2,087. That was 18 better than the mark South Korea set in May.

Im, 26, does not wear glasses in competition, saying he relies on distinguishing between the bright colors of the target. He won gold in the team event at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.

South Korean coach Jang Young Sool also did not seem too impressed by his team's accomplishment. He said his archers must get ready their next test.

''We will have a day of rest now and prepare for tomorrow,'' he said of the gold medal match Saturday.

France finished second in the team event, followed by China and the United States, which was ranked No. 1 coming into the event. Brady Ellison of the United States, the world's No. 1 individual archer, said that the conditions were ideal Friday and that he was not surprised the individual world record fell.

''I don't think you get those types of scores anywhere if the weather wasn't just perfect today,'' Ellison said. ''Korea shoots good, and if you look at the scores, they're always top in the ranking round.''

Also Friday, the American women's team scored a surprising second-place finish. Miranda Leek, Jennifer Nichols and Khatuna Lorig scored 1,979 points with 216 arrows. They were 14 points behind South Korea, which scored 1,993 points. The American team is ranked No. 6 in the world. (AP)

2012 LONDON

PHOTO: The South Korean archer Im Dong-hyun after setting the first world record of the 2012 Games, in the ranking round of the men's individual 72-arrow event. (PHOTOGRAPH BY DOUG MILLS/THE NEW YORK TIMES)
GRAPHICS: Different Games: Khatuna Lorig, a member of the United States archery team, coached Jennifer Lawrence for her role as Katniss Everdeen in the movie ''The Hunger Games.''